Feeding and positioning apparatus



March 22, 1966 R. N. TAYLOR FEEDING AND POSITIONING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 22, 1966 R. N. TAYLOR FEEDING AND POSITIONING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 18 1961 mi M wk March 22, 1966 R. N. TAYLOR FEEDING AND POSITIONING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed May 18 1961 Attorney- March 22, 1966 R. N. TAYLOR FEEDING AND POSITIONING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed May 18, 1961 United States Patent Ofiice 3,241,710 FEEDING AND PQEITIUNING APPARATUS Robert N. 'llaylor, Fort Wayne, Ind, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Continuation of application Ser. No. 117,767, May 18, 1961. This appiication Apr. 12, I965, Ser. No. 449,925 Claims. (Cl. 221-176) This invention relates generally to apparatus for removing articles from one position and transferring the articles to another position and, more particularly, to an improved arrangement for removing relatively thin blanks, such as those suitable for use as laminations in electric inductive devices, one at a time from a stack and progressively placing the blanks in position to be acted upon by a subsequent operation. This application is a continuation of my copending application Serial No. 117,767, filed May 18, 1961, now abandoned.

In the manufacture of certain products, it has been customary to supply relatively thin blanks from a stack of unformed blanks to a work station. Illustrative of this is the fabrication of laminated rotor and stator cores for dynamoelectric machines employing a predetermined number of magnetic laminations. For example, unfinished rotor blanks, usually disc shaped and having a thickness between 0.010 and 0.030 inch, are normally fed, one behind the other in abutting relation, from a magazine or the like for holding the blanks in stacked relation, to a progressive punch press operation which perforates the individual blanks, stamping out suitable winding receiving slots and other openings of the desired configuration to provide a substantially finished rotor lamination, which is then ready for assembly onto a rotor shaft.

Prior to the present invention, various schemes have been proposed for removing the rotor blanks from the magazine and for delivering these blanks continuously in a single row to the punch press for the next forming operation. However, to the best of my knowledge, the past arrangements have not been entirely satisfactory for one reason or another. For instance, typical of the suggested approaches is the one in which a reciprocating or oscillating member picks off and pushes the bottom blank out of the stack with considerable force to advance the entire line of abutting blanks toward the punch press a distance equal to the diameter of one blank. However, due to the inherent nature of the forces applied to the blanks by the pushing members, it is impossible to control with any degree of accuracy the speed and motion imparted to the blanks. Consequently, an elaborate and extremely rugged mechanism is required adjacent the press, and normally includes a plurality of projections, driven in synchronism with the pushing members and press, between retracted and extended positions. In the latter position, the projections engage the edges of the blanks, effecting a sudden cessation of their forward motion at the press and positioning the blanks for the subsequent punching operation. In view of the type and magnitude of the applied forces involved in transferring the blanks from the magazine to the press and the kind of equipment needed to stop and position the blanks at the press, there is a tendency for the relatively thin blanks to become deformed as they are stopped. Further, this arrangement is not capable of satisfactory operation above feeding speeds of 150 pieces per minute, for the equipment tends to become jammed and malfunctions at higher operating speeds. Thus, since punching presses are capable of producing finished punchings at speeds far in excess of that permitted by these past arrangements, the feeding apparatus is a definite limiting factor on the ultimate output of the entire forming operation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to 3,241,719 Patented Mar. 22, 1966 provide an improved arrangement for removing blanks or other material from a stack, pile, or the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved yet relatively inexpensive apparatus for feeding material with controlled motion at a relatively high rate of speed from a stack to another position.

It is yet another object to provide an improved arrangement for removing unfinished relatively thin blanks, particularly adapted to be employed in laminated cores for electric inductive devices, one at a time from a stack and for placing the blanks in the desired position without damaging the blanks.

In carrying out the objects of this invention in one form thereof, I provide an improved arrangement for removing the bottom blank from a stack of relatively thin disc-shaped blanks, in which a pair of elements, each having a curved surface generally conforming to the outer periphery of the blanks, are driven concurrently through reverse arcuate paths into and out of engagement with the bottom blank. The relative motion between the elements and the bottom blank as it is being displaced from the remainder of the stack of blanks, produces a wiping action on the blank and imparts a controlled acceleration and deceleration to it. This arrangement, when employed for feeding the blanks to a forming operation, permits the use of a relatively simple and inexpensive device for stopping and positioning the blanks in the proper location. Thus, by another aspect of the present invention, the device may include a plurality of fingers biased toward an extended position in which the fingers firmly engage the outer periphery of the blanks. These fingers are retractable upon pressure exerted on the edge of the blanks held therebetween to permit passage of the blanks therethrough.

The subject matter which I regard as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. My invention, itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a punch press apparatus employing the preferred form of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view, partially broken away, showing the preferred embodiment of the improved feeding and positioning arrangement of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the magazine and feeder mechanism of FIGURE 2, taken along the line 3-3;

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective of a portion of the preferred feeder mechanism shown in FIGURE 3, partly broken away to illustrate details of the blank removing construction;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the enclosed blank transfer channel of FIGURE 2, taken along line 55;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged View in perspective of the positioning portion of the arrangement shown in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view, partially broken away, illustrating the engagement of the feeder mechanism of FIGURE 4 with the bottom blank in the magazine, just prior to the time that any forward motion is imparted to the blank; and

FIGURE 8 is a similar view to FIGURE 7, illustrating the blank being removed from the magazine by the feeder mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, and specifically to FIGURE 1, for purposes of illustration, only, I have shown the preferred form of my invention removing relatively thin unformed generally disc-shaped rotor punchings or blanks from the bottom of a magazine 11, which contains a plurality of the blanks in stacked relation, and transferring the blanks to a punch press unit, generally indicated by numeral 12, where the blanks are subsequently stamped into finished rotor laminations (not shown). In this exemplification, unit 12, includes a stationary frame comprising a base section 14, having a press bed on which is mounted a conventional rotor lamination forming die 16 provided with a perforated matrix of the desired design, and a horizontal platform 17 for supporting magazine 11 in spaced relation with die 16 so that the magazine is readily accessible to the machine operator who can conveniently refill the magazine with a supply of blanks, as required. An upright frame section 18 is secured to base section 14 and houses a vertically movable ram assembly 19 directly above bed 15. A punch 20 is attached to the bottom of ram assembly 19 and has cutting or piercing projections 21 adapted to be accommodated by the matrix of die 16 in the usual way. During operation of unit 12, punch 20 is lowered and raised respectively into and out of engagement with die 16 by any suitable driving arrangement, such as the wellknown crank and flywheel power transmitting clutch mechanism, denoted generally by character 23, connected with ram assembly 19 and driven by an electric motor (not shown) housed under cover 24.

As shown most clearly in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, the preferred embodiment of my feeding mechanism for removing blanks 10 from magazine 11 includes a pair of reversely rotatable cooperating assemblies 26 and 27 arranged beneath the magazine. More specifically (FIG- URE 3 in particular), assembly 26 comprises a spur gear 28, formed with a plurality of teeth 29 on its outer periphery and a raised central hub section 30. The gear is suitably secured, as by nut and washer means 31, to a vertically disposed shaft 32, which is in turn rotatably carried by a sleeve type bearing 33 and bearing housing 24 mounted below platform 17. On its upper surface (as viewed in the drawings), gear 28 is provided with a raised annular section 35 disposed radially beyond hub section a predetermined distance to form an annular depression 36 therebetween. This annular depression is designed to allow the free rotation of gear 28 relative to that part of the magazine, shown at 22, which forms a flange 25 for supporting the stack of laminations and projects below the upper portion of gear hub section 30. Section includes a recess 38, substantially U-shaped in cross section, for accommodating element 40 which is adapted to travel through an angular path directly below one side of the bottom blank, denoted by character 10a in FIGURE 3, in magazine 11. The precise manner in which element 40 travels into and out of engagement with the edge of blank 10a will be described in detail hereinafter.

It will be seen from an inspection of FIGURE 4 that element 40 in its preferred form has an inclined or wedge shaped surface 42 on its leading end 43. Surface 42 slopes upwardly from the end of element 40 and terminates at a slot adjacent a generally vertical wall 44 provided on raised portion 45 of element 40. Preferably, the transverse configuration of wall 44 substantially conforms to the circular shape of the edge of blanks 10, and extends above the highest part of inclined surface 42 by an amount approximating the thickness of blanks 10. Corner 46 of the wall 44, disposed toward the blank, has an arcuate or round outline. The trailing end 47 of element 40 has a pin 48 projecting radially therethrough and into suitably aligned openings 49 and 50 (FIGURE 3) provided transversely through annular sec tion 35. By this construction, element 40 is mounted in recess 38 to move with gear 28 as a unit and is pivotal between a depressed or retracted position, in which only raised portion 45 with its wall 44, projects above annular section 35, and an extended position wherein both wall 44 and at least a part of inclined surface 42 are exposed above section 35. A spring 51 is interposed between element ends 43 and 47, and is received in vertical hole 52 of element portion 45. The spring is employed to bias element 40 toward its extended position, previously described. If desired, means may be furnished within recess 38 for limiting the pivotal movement of element 40 into its extended position. The illustrated means takes the form of a retaining plate 53, having one end securely fastened to a shoulder 54 in recess 38 and its other end projecting over a lower extension 55, integrally formed on the extreme edge of leading end 43.

Referring now to assembly 27 and in particular to FIGURE 3, it will be observed that in its preferred form, assembly 27 is, in effect, a mirror image of assembly 26; that is, the respective assemblies are symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane, identified by broken line A-A, which would pass through the center of blank 10a. Consequently, assembly 27 comprises a spur gear 58 of similar size to that of gear 28, having teeth 59 in meshing relation with teeth 29 of gear 28. A nut and washer 61 secures gear 58, through gear hub 60, to a vertical shaft or stud 62 rotatably supported by a bearing 63 and housing 64 suspended beneath and fastened to platform 17. Like gear 28, gear 58 also includes a raised annular section 65, a depression 66, and a recess 68 for receiving element 70. Since element 70 is identical to but the reverse of element 40 in every respect, for the sake of brevity and convenience of representation, like parts of the elements are illustrated by like reference numerals and element 70 will not be further described. To prevent the machine operator from inadvertently coming into contact with gears 28 and 58 during operation of the apparatus, assemblies 26 and 27 are preferably enclosed within a suitable housing 71.

FIGURES 2 and 5 illustrate an assembly for guiding or transferring blanks 10, removed from magazine 11 one behind the other in a single row, to forming die 16. As shown, the assembly includes an enclosed channel which extends from the magazine in the direction in which the blanks are supplied and terminates in a delivery or forward end adjacent die 16. The bottom wall of the channel is formed by a base plate 76, suitably supported above the upper surface of platform 17, for example, by a pair of spaced apart elongated grooved blocks 77 and 78 and retaining plates 79 and 80, at a level approximating that of die 16. A pair of guides 81 and 82 are arranged on the upper surface of plate 76, spaced apart by a distance slightly greater than the diameter of blanks 10, to define the sides of the channel 75, while the portion of top surface 83 of base plate 76, located between the guides, defines .the bottom surface of the channel. An upper plate 85, having grooves 86 and 87 complementing guides 81 and 82, is cut out between the grooves to form the upper surface 88 of the channel, such that the dimensional height between surfaces 83 and 88 is somewhat greater than the thickness of blanks 10. Centrally of channel 75, plates 76 and are each furnished with a longitudinal rail or bar, 90 and 91, received respectively in slots 92 and 93. These bars each include fiat surfaces, which respectively project beyond surfaces 83 and 88 and are adapted to engage the faces of the blanks. The fiat surfaces each have a transverse dimension equal to approximately one-half of the diameter of the blanks. Preferably, upper bar 90 is resiliently urged, provided by way of illustration, by a number of conventional cup-shaped compression springs 94 (FIGURE 5) interposed between slot 92 and bar 90 at spaced apart intervals for the length of channel 75, against the upper face of the blanks with a force sufiicient to maintain the blanks in a line between bars 90 and 91, yet not interfere with the passage of the blanks through channel 75. As shown in FIGURE 2, upper bar 90 terminates at magazine 11 while the lower bar 91 extends directly below blank a, between annular sections 35 and 65 of the two coacting gears, to provide a track upon which the blanks may be advanced in a line in the direction of the press unit 1 2.

One of the features and advantages of my feed mechanism for dispensing the blanks from magazine 11 is the relatively simple and inexpensive device that may be conveniently employed, if so desired, adjacent press unit 12 to stop the forward motion of the blanks and to position the blanks in the proper location for the subsequent punching operation. This device may take the form identified generally by numeral 1% in FIGURES 2 and 6, the device being mounted in fixed relation on the delivery end of base plate 76 and being in register with channel 75 so that the blanks may travel in a continuous line from the confines of the channel into device 1410. Preferably, the device includes a pair of spaced apart arms 101 and 102, each being slidably mounted at end 1113, adjacent base plate 76, within a transverse groove 104- of block 105. Each arm extends over the matrix of the die and is provided with inwardly extending spaced apart fingers 106 and 1497 Which carry shoes 1118 on their tips for contacting the edges of the blanks. The shoes are identical in configuration and have a curved peripheral surface 169 substantially conforming to the peripheral outline of blanks 10.

Fingers 197 are in facing relation and provide the means to position the blanks, such as blank llle, for the punching operation, that is, directly over the die matrix at location A in the drawings where blank 10c may be finally and accurately positioned on the die in any well known way; e.g., reciprocating die locator pins (not shown). Fingers 106, which extend toward each other intermediate fingers 107 and arm ends 1113, cooperate at 'location B to contact the edge of blank 16a to stop the forward motion of the line of blanks within channel '75. The lineal distance between shoes 10% of fingers 1116 and 1117 should be such that blank 10d will not interfere with the final positioning of blank 1% at location A preparatory to the punching operation. Fingers 106 and 107 are resiliently urged toward the projected or extended position, shown in FIGURES 2 and 6, wherein the shoes 1118 of fingers 106 firmly contact the periphery of blank 10d. The fingers are transversely movable to a retracted position, in which the blanks are permitted to move forward between aligned shoes 108, by the exertion of a predetermined relatively low pressure upon the edge of blank 161d by blank 100, which is disposed at the delivery end of channel 75 and is in abutting relation wtih blank 10d. A coil spring 110 of predetermined tension is connected through projections 111 integrally formed on ends 103 to bias the fingers toward their extended positions.

The manner in which my invention serves to transfer the blanks 10 from magazine 11 to punch press unit 12, will be described in connection with FIGS. 1, 2, 7, and 8. Assuming that switch 113 has been depressed and the motor positioned under cover 24 is energized, operation of punch press unit 12 may be initiated by pressing switch assembly 114 (FIGURE 1) thereby actuating the crank and flywheel mechanism 23 to reciprocate punch between a raised and lowered position. Assemblies 26 and 27 are driven in synchronism wtih punch 20 by any suitable means. This may be accomplished, for example, through the intermediaries of a continuous chain 115, driven by crank and flywheel mechanism 23, a standard right angle drive assembly 116, and a conventional overload type clutch 117, which is in turn connected to shaft 3-2 of assembly 26, as by a common coupling 118. Gear 28 of assembly 26 drives gear 58 of assembly 27, which functions as an idler gear, the gears rotating at the same rate of speed.

As punch 20 of press unit 12 is being reeipr-ocated in an upward direction, elements 40 and 7d of the respective gears 28 and 58 will be disposed in their extended positions, in which inclined surfaces 4-2 and walls 44 are exposed above the gears, and will be concurrently rotated toward the position shown by FIG. 7. Since the gears and elements of the respective assemblies 26 and 27 are symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane AA (FIG- URES 3 and 7), which as previously explained would pass through the center of blank 1% (and midway between guides 81 and 82 of channel 75), inclined surfaces 42 of elements 40 and 70 will be driven into contact with the edges of blank 10a at approximately the same time. Continued angular movement of the elements (in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 7) causes each leading end 43 to pivot away from magazine 11 due to the weight of the stacked blanks on inclined surfaces 42 until each element is ultimately pushed into its depressed position where curved walls 44 engage the edges of the bottom blank 111a. It should be noted at this time that the movement of elements relative to gears 28 and 58, just described, will result in a compensation for any possible variation that might exist in the thickness between the individual unformed blanks. As seen in FIGURE 7 in the exemplification, transversely curved walls 4-4 initially engage the rearwardly exposed convexly curved edge of the bottom blank 10a at spaced apart regions with curved walls 44 and the regions of the blank engaged thereby generally being parts of the same circle at a location adjacent the magazine behind a vertical plane intersecting the rotational axes of gears 28 and 58. Further, concurrent movement of elements 40 and 70 through reverse arcu-ate paths under magazine 11, advances blank 10a from the bottom of the stack until it assumes the position indicated by blank 10b in FIGURE 8, thereby leaving the lowermost blank in magazine 11 free to drop into the position formerly occupied by blank 10a. It will be appreciated, of course, that during this dispensing operation, the remainder of the blanks will be maintained in stacked relation by the wall of magazine 11, which has an opening, above flange 25 and adjacent channel 75, of sufii cient height to allow the transfer of only one blank at a time from the magazine to channel 75.

A comparison of FIGURES 7 and 8 reveals that I prefer to situate the elements 40 and 70 with respect to blank Na such that they will be in simultaneous angular engagement with the edges of the blank for a linear distance in the direction of device substantially equal to the diameter of the blanks. Moreover, as the blank is moved between the positions of FIGURES 7 and 8 by elements 40 and 70, the relative angular movement between curved walls 44 and the edge of the blank produces a wiping action on the blank. Thus, while walls 44 initially accelerate the blank upon contact with it to move it away from the magazine 11, the Walls 44 have a decelerating effect on the blank as it moves into the position of blank 10b in FIGURE 8. Rounded corners 46 of walls 44 allow the elements to release the blank with a smooth action. Thus, a controlled motion is imparted to the blank as it is being displaced with respect to magazine 11.

In view of the abutting relation of the blanks within channel 75, the transfer of blank 10a to the position of blank 10b in the manner just described will correspondingly move in succession the entire line of blanks with controlled motion toward punching press unit 12. Consequently, blank 100 (FIGURE 2), at the delivery end of channel 75, will act upon blank 10d (in stopping location A) and force it against shoes 108 of fingers 106 with sufficient pressure to overcome the tension of spring 110, thereby displacing fingers 1G6 and 107 from their extended to their retracted positions. This permits the edge of blank 10d to be forced against the edge of blank 10a after blank 102 has been suitably formed into a lamination in the exemplification and to eject it from location A as blank 10d takes its place.

As the elements 411 and 70 are rotated out of engagement with the bottom blank (at the position shown in FIGURE 8), the elements will be urged into their extended positions by spring 51. At the same time, fingers 106 and 107 will be returned to their extended positions by spring 110 where they engage the edges of the blanks 'located therebetween. Fingers 106 effect a cessation of movement of the line of blanks with a minimum of pressure and fingers 107 assist in properly positioning the blank at location A for the subsequent punching operation.

Due to the synchronized driving connection outlined above between assemblies 26 and 27 and punch 20, the punch will be lowered to stamp out the desired holes in blank 10a and will thereafter start its upward travel as elements 40 and 70 are rotated once again toward the position shown by FIGURE 7. Thus, the component parts of the apparatus will be ready for the next cycle of operation. In actual practice, an apparatus has been built in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and assemblies 26 and 27 were satisfactorily operated at feeding speeds in excess of 1,500 blanks per minute.

The features and advantages of the present invention are readily manifest from the foregoing. My improved mechanism for dispensing material from a pile or magazine, among other things, is capable of extremely high speed, yet completely satisfactory, performance. Consequently, when the feed mechanism is employed for delivering unformed material to subsequent forming operations, such as a punch press used in the above exemplification of my invention, there is permitted a greater output per unit of forming equipment used for any given period of time than was heretofore possible. Another advantage is the automatic compensation aflforded for possible differences in the thickness between the individual pieces being moved. Further, due to the controlled type of action involved in removing the material from the stacked pile, the pressures required to stop the forward motion of the dispensed material are minimized, and a relatively simple and inexpensive device may be satisfactorily utilized to stop the material at the desired location for the next operation. Moreover, even though the individual pieces may be relatively thin in cross section, with the use of my arrangement, there is little likelihood that they will be deformed or otherwise damaged, resulting in material savings.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art, while I have shown and described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention in accordance with the patent statutes, changes may be made in the structure disclosed without actually departing from the true spirit and scope of this invention, and I therefore intend to cover in the following claims all such equivalent variations as fall within the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An arrangement for feeding relatively thin, generally planar articles individually from a stack of similarly shaped articles held in face to face relation at one position to another position, with each article having at least a region of its peripheral edge convexly curved; article holding means arranged at one position for holding a number of the articles in the face to face stacked relation; said means having separated portions for engaging the face of the end article disposed away from the remaining articles at spaced apart areas adjacent the peripheral edge thereof, with said article holding means exposing at least the convexly curved region of the end article at a first location and providing an unobstructed opening at a second location therein; means extending from the one position in the vicinity of the second location to the other position for guiding the articles in a single row and in edge to edge contact therebetween; means for removing the end article from the stack and for feeding the removed article at said second location into the guide means; said removing and feeding means comprising a pair of reversely rotatable members disposed adjacent said separated portions of said article holding means, with each member including a raised, transversely concave wall leading in the direction of travel of the member and adapted to engage the convexly curved region of the end article at the first location; and means for driving said transversely concave walls through reverse arcuate paths substantially concurrently into driving engagement with the convexly curved region of the end article between said separated portions of said article holding means at said first location and out of contact therewith at said second location to produce controlled acceleration and deceleration on the curved region of the end article as it is removed from the stack thereby imparting controlled linear motion to the row of articles in the guiding means and advancing the row of articles toward the other position; and means including at least one pair of spaced apart fingers resiliently urged toward one another at said other position for stopping the linear movement of the articles in said guiding means.

2. An arrangement for feeding relatively thin, generally planar articles individually from a stack of similarly shaped articles held in face to face relation at one position to another position, with each article having a selected region on its peripheral edge; article holding means arranged at one position for holding a number of the articles in the face to face stacked relation; said means having separated portions for engaging the face of the end article disposed away from the remaining articles at spaced apart areas adjacent the peripheral edge thereof, with said article holding means exposing at least the selected region of the end article at a first location and providing an unobstructed opening at a second location therein; means for removing the end article from the stack at said second location; said article removing means comprising a pair of reversely rotatable members disposed adjacent said separated portions of said article holding means, with each member including a raised transverse wall leading in the direction of travel of the member and with each of said walls adapted to engage the selected region of the end article at the first location; said raised transverse walls having a shape generally corresponding to the configuration of the selected region which the wall initially engages at the first location; and means for revolving said transverse walls through reverse arcuate paths a number of uninterrupted complete revolutions at a generally constant speed, with the paths passing between said separated portions of said article holding means and substantially concurrently into driving engagement with the selected region of the end article at said first location and out of contact therewith at said second locaiton thereby producing controlled acceleration and deceleration on the selected region of the end article as it is removed from the stack.

3. In an arrangement for feeding relatively thin discshaped blanks from one position to another in a single row; magazine means holding a plurality of blanks in stacked, face to face relation and exposing a selected portion of the peripheral edge of the end blank in the stack; a mechanism for displacing the end blank from the remainder of the blanks including a pair of gear means having teeth in meshing relation mounted next to said magazine means adjacent the end blank of the stack; means for rotating said pair of gear means in unison through a number of continuous revolutions at a generally constant rate of speed; each gear means including a raised wall radially inward from the teeth of the associated gear means adapted to move in an arcuate path in the vicinity of the magazine means and to engage the peripheral edge of the end blank at the exposed, selected end blank portion for a predetermined angular length of travel thereby displacing the end blank from said magazine means and imparting linear motion to the row of blanks; a channel for guiding the blanks in a row from said mechanism to said other position including side, bottom and upper walls; said side walls being spaced apart in generally parallel relation by an amount slightly greater than the largest dimension across the individual blanks and extending from a position near the teeth of the gear means to said other position; said upper wall having at least one longitudinally extending projection running from a position at least as close to the gear means teeth as said side walls and terminating at said other position; and said bottom wall including at least one longitudinal projection extending from a location at the one position overlying the meshing teeth directly between said raised walls to said other position whereby said guiding channel provides a positive track between said one and other positions and maintains the blanks in a single row as they travel therethrough without interfering with such travel.

4. In an arrangement for feeding relatively thin discshaped blanks in a row from a magazine holding a plurality of blanks in stacked relation to another location; a mechanism for removing the bottom blank from the magazine including a pair of gears in meshing relation disposed beneath the bottom blank, an element movably mounted on each gear adjacent a preselected surface thereof and having a raised portion adapted to move into and out of engagement with the bottom blank, means for biasing said raised portions of said elements away from said preselected surfaces of said gears and toward the bottom blank for engagement therewith; means for rotating said gears and driving said elements concurrently through reverse arcuate paths, whereby controlled linear motion is imparted to the row of blanks and to the bottom blank as it is dispensed from the magazine; means for guiding the blanks in a row from said mechanism to said other location with the guiding means terminating at said other location; and means for stopping the linear motion of the row of blanks adjacent the other location and concurrently for positioning the blank at said other location, said latter means including at least one set of two opposed fingers in spaced apart relation at both the termination of said guiding means and at said other location, with each set of opposed fingers resiliently urged toward extended positions for engaging the edges of a pair of abutting blanks at the end of the row, said opposed fingers being concurrently movable to retracted positions for all-owing passage therebetween of the blanks when the linear motion is transmitted to the blanks held between said fingers thereby overcoming the bias of the fingers toward said extended positions.

5. A device for removing the end aritcle from a plurality of articles disposed in stacked relation comprising a pair of spaced apart elements each having a raised portion formed with a transversely curved surface adapted to travel through an arcuate path and to engage a selected edge of the end article; each element further including an inclined surface disposed adjacent and leading said transversely curved surface in the direction of travel of the element for making initial contact with the selected edge of the end article; each inclined surface increasing in height as it approaches its associated curved surface; and means operatively connected to said elements for driving said inclined and transversely curved surfaces through reverse arcuate paths and concurrently into and out of engagement with the selected edge of the end article, whereby said surfaces produce a wiping action on the edges of the end article and impart controlled acceleration and deceleration to the end article as it is displaced in a linear direction with respect to the remainder of the stack.

6. An arrangement for feeding a number of generally similar articles individually from one position to another comprising means holding the articles in face to face stacked relation at the one position; said means including separated portions for engaging the face of the end article, disposed away from the remaining articles, at spaced apart areas adjacent the peripheral edge thereof, with said article holding means exposing a preselected region of the peripheral edge of the end article at a first location and providing an unobstructed opening at a second location; and means for removing the end article from the article holding means and directing it toward the other position;

said latter means including a pair of gears having teeth in meshing relation disposed in the vicinity of said separated portions of said article holding means; an element having a raised portion, movably mounted between extended and depressed positions on each gear adjacent an outer surface thereof facing the article holding means, with the respective extended positions being located closer to said article holding means than said depressed positions; means biasing said raised portions toward said extended positions; means for rotating said gears through a number of uninterrupted revolutions at a generally constant speed and driving said raised portions through reverse arcuate paths passing directly between said separated portions of said article holding means, with said raised portions being forced into their depressed positions at the first location and being driven into concurrent engagement with the selected region of the end article and out of engagement therewith at the second location thereby displacing the end article from the article holding means and imparting controlled linear motion thereto away from the stack of articles.

7. A device for removing the bottom circular blank from a stack of blanks supported in face to face aligned relation comprising a pair of rotatable gears in meshing relation disposed below the stack; each gear including a recess in communication with the upper surface thereof and an element movably mounted in said recess; said elements being movable between extended and depressed positions, with the extended positions being located further away from the gears than said depressed positions; means for resiliently urging said elements toward their respective ext-ended positions; said elements each having a raised, transversely curved wall generally concave in the direction of rotation of the associated gear for engaging an edge of the bottom blank when in said depressed positions; said curved walls being disposed above the associated upper surface of the respective gears adjacent the recess for both said depressed and extended positions; and means for rotating said gears and driving the raised, transversely curved walls of said elements concurrently through reverse and generally symmetrical arcuate paths and into and out of simultaneous engagement with the edges of said bottom blank whereby said curved walls impart controlled linear motion thereto as the bottom blank is displaced relative to the stack.

8. A device for removing the bottom blank from a stack of relatively thin disc-shaped blanks supported in face to face relation comprising a pair of gears in meshing relation disposed below the stack; an element pivotally mounted on each gear adjacent one surface thereof and having a portion movable between extended and depressed positions; means for resiliently urging said elements toward their respective extended position; means for limiting the movement of said elements into said extended positions; said element portions each having an upwardly extending, transversely curved wall and an inclined surface formed adjacent its associated curved wall and leading said associated curved wall in the direction of travel of said portions; each inclined surface generally increasing in height toward its associated curved wall, with each inclined surface being arranged to contact the edge of the bottom blank of the stack when the elements are in their extended positions, and with the curved wall of each element portion firmly engaging the edge of the disc-shaped bottom blank when pivoted to said depressed position by the contact between the bottom blank and the inclined surfaces of said element portions; and means for rotating said gears and driving said elements concurrently through reverse arcuate paths into and out of simultaneous engagement with the edge of the bottom blank thereby imparting controlled linear motion thereto as the bottom blank is being displaced relative to the stack.

9. In an arrangement for feeding a plurality of generally similar thin disc-shaped articles individually from one location to another; means arranged at the one location to hold a number of articles in stacked, face to face, aligned relation; a mechanism for moving in succession the article disposed at the bottom of the stack including a pair of reversely rotatable cooperating assemblies; each assembly comprising a gear disposed beneath and in spaced relation with the article holding means in the vicinity of the bottom article, and formed with a recess opening toward the article holding means; an element accommodated in each recess and having an inclined surface and an adjacent curved Wall adapted to project beyond the recess and to engage an edge of the bottom article; each of said inclined surfaces leading the associated curved walls in the direction of travel of the elements, with each inclined surface generally increasing in height toward its adjacent curved wall, and with each curved wall extending above its associated inclined surface; said elements mounted onto said gears for movement between extended positions in which said inclined wall is arranged to contact an edge of the bottom article and retracted positions in which the curved wall is adapted to engage the edge of the bottom article; resilient means urging said elements toward their respective extended positions; and means for rotating said gears and thereby moving said elements concurrently through reverse arcuate paths, into successive driving engagement with the edges of the bottom articles in said article holding means whereby controlled linear motion is imparted to the bottom article as it is removed from said article holding means at the one location and fed toward the other location.

10. In an arrangement for feeding a plurality of similar, relatively thin, generally disc-shaped articles individually from one location to another; means arranged at the one location to hold a number of articles in stacked, face to face, aligned relation and adapted to support the bottom article in the stack on the face disposed away from the remainder of the stack; a mechanism for removing in succession the article disposed at the bottom of the stack including a pair of reversely rotatable cooperating gears in meshed relation; each gear formed with an outer section arranged to pass directly below the article holding means in the vicinity of the bottom article; said outer sections each having means including a raised wall formed with a generally concave curved surface leading in the direction of travel, extending above the associated outer section and arranged to rotate therewith; said curved surfaces being in spaced relation with one another as they travel below said article holding means and being adapted to engage an edge of the bottom article in said holding means adjacent the holding means before said curved surfaces rotate through a plane intersecting the rotational axes of the gears; said curved surfaces being generally complementary in configuration to the engaged edge of the bottom article in the article holding means during initial engagement therewith and said raised walls being in engagement with the bottom article for generally one diameter thereof while imparting linear motion to the bottom article for displacing it relative to the remaining articles; and means for guiding the articles from said article holding means to the other location, said means including a channel having side and bottom walls, with the bottom wall extending in the space between said sections of the gears beneath said article holding means to provide a track for the articles to be advanced to the other location.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 137,710 4/1873 Paden 221-236 X 902,908 11/1908 Rafoth 221-277 X 1,597,776 8/ 1926 Ericson. 2,264,738 12/1941 Blann 221-270 X 2,932,428 4/1960 McGranahan 221267 X 3,002,654 10/1961 Maximofi et a1. 221-270 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner.

K. N. LEIMER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ARRANGEMENT FOR FEEDING RELATIVELY THIN, GENERALLY PLANAR ARTICLES INDIVIDUALLY FROM A STACK OF SIMILARLY SHAPED ARTICLES HELD IN FACE TO FACE RELATION AT ONE POSITION TO ANOTHER POSITION, WITH EACH ARTICLE HAVING AT LEAST A REGION OF ITS PERIPHERAL EDGE CONVEXLY CURVED; ARTICLE HOLDING MEANS ARRANGED AT ONE POSITION FOR HOLDING A NUMBER OF THE ARTICLES IN THE FACE TO FACE STACKED RELATION; SAID MEANS HAVING SEPARATED PORTIONS FOR ENGAGINGTHE FACE OF THE END ARTICLE DISPOSED AWAY FROM THE REMAINING ARTICLES AT SPACED APART AREAS ADJACENT THE PERIPHERAL EDGE THEREOF, WITH SAID ARTICLE HOLDING MEANS EXPOSING AT LEAST THE CONVEXLY CURVED REGION OF THE END ARTICLE AT A FIRST LOCATION AND PROVIDING AN UNOBSTRUCTED OPENING AT A SECOND LOCATION THEREIN; MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE ONE POSITION IN THE VICINITY OF THE SECOND LOCATION TO THE OTHER POSITION FOR GUIDING THE ARTICLES IN A SINGLE ROW AND IN EDGE TO EDGE CONTACT THEREBETWEEN; MEANS FOR REMOVING THE END ARTICLE FROM THE STACK AND FOR FEEDING THE REMOVED ARTICLE AT SAID SECOND LOCATION INTO THE GUIDE MEANS; SAID REMOVING AND FEEDING MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF REVERSELY ROTATABLE MEMBERS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID SEPARATED PORTIONS OF SAID ARTICLE HOLDING MEANS, WITH EACH MEMBER INCLUDING A RAISED, TRANSVERSELY CONCAVE WALL LEADING IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE CONVEXLY CURVED REGION OF THE END ARTICLE AT THE FIRST LOCATION; AND MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID TRANSVERSELY CONCAVE WALLS THROUGH REVERSE ARCUATE PATHS SUBSTANTIALLY CONCURRENTLY INTO DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CONVEXLY CURVED REGION OF THE END ARTICLE BETWEEN SAID SEPARATED PORTIONS OF SAID ARTICLE HOLDING MEANS AT SAID FIRST LOCATION AND OUT OF CONTACT THEREWITH AT SAID SECOND LOCATION TO PRODUCE CONTROLLED ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION ON THE CURVED REGION OF THE END ARTICLE AS IT IS REMOVED FROM THE STACK THEREBY IMPARTING CONTROLLED LINEAR MOTION TO THE ROW OF ARTICLES IN THE GUIDING MEANS AND ADVANCING THE ROW OF ARTICLES TOWARD THE OTHER POSITION; AND MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF SPACED APART FINGERS RESILIENTLY URGED TOWARD ONE ANOTHER AT SAID OTHER POSITION FOR STOPPING THE LINEAR MOVEMENT OF THE ARTICLES IN SAID GUIDING MEANS. 